Has the game passed Coach K by?

Exactly. You can only go so far with conference power talk. I mean, just because the Big Ten is a garbage conf as a whole right now, doesn't mean Michigan State and Wisconsin aren't good basketball teams.
Same to be said with Tennessee, and Memphis and so on and so forth.
It's too late in the season to be shortguessing a team based on their conference's clout or lack thereof.

 

If anything, Krzyzewski has passed the game by rather than the other way around.

Instead of allowing college basketball to devolve into an NBA-style two-man game of feeding a post man who commands a double-team and kicks it out to a spot-up shooter, Krzyzewski still has an offense that relies on several scorers with all-around abilities to operate out of sets that require motion and precision. A few years from now that will be the way to win, and Duke will regain its status as the premier program in America.

 

Thing is, in college, if the recruiting game has passed you by, you're screwed. Look at Bill Self and Bruce Weber: Self is a master recruiter, but he can't win the big games and isn't much of an x's and o's guy. Weber is a genius but can't seem to lure the big recruits (ahem, Eric Gordon), at least not yet.
So what happens? Self leaves behind an Illinois team that underachieves in the tournament for years, Weber takes over and takes them to the title game, could have won it, but three years later, the well is dry and he has to come up with miracle runs in the Big Ten tourney to have a glimpse of any postseason. Meanwhile, Self still ain't a great coach, but he gets six McDonald's All-Americans in every recruiting class and so Kansas is great. Might even stumble on a championship one of these years (or one of these days).
But Self is as secure as any coach in America. Weber, who's the better on-court coach, will be in trouble if he doesn't turn things around in the next year or two.
Bottom line is, if any part of the game it's going to pass K by, it's the recruiting part. That hasn't happened yet, but like someone else said, maybe it's time to worry if he can't figure out the whole one-n-done vs. four-year guy thing.

 

Small quibble -- Self's not that bad a coach. Yeah, he's 0-4 in Elite Eights, but one of those teams was a No. 7-seeded Tulsa team that nobody pegged to get near that far. The other three? Well, he lost. Doesn't mean he's a bad coach.

Last year, KU had the game plan to beat UCLA, which had a monstrous home court edge. Only problem was the players missed bunny after bunny. Self can't do much about that.

And in 2004, KU lost to Georgia Tech in overtime when Jarrett Jack played the game of his life. Had KU won that game, it would have been three straight Final Four appearances for the Jayhawks (those two coming with Roy, of course). How many teams do that? Law of averages said KU probably wouldn't make it back that season, especially since he was a new coach (unlike UCLA going for three straight, all with Howland).

And for the record, KU only got one McDonald's All-American a year ago, and I think one this season. So you're giving him far too much credit.

 

One McD All-American out of how many recruits though? I guess I was thinking of that freshman class where he had to fill five or six spots and got all McD's for them. Guys who are juniors now, I think? (if they're still there)
And you're right. Self's not completely moronic. But he's not nearly the level of Roy, K, even Weber. And there have definitely been years where he should have done more with what he had.

 

Just remember, after Roy made Final Fours in 1991 and 1993, he didn't make it back again until 2002. It was so long that everyone wondered whether he would ever win the big game. And if you're going to argue that Self's not a great coach because "there have definitely been years where he should have done more with what he had," well, see Roy Williams circa 1994-2001. And throw in that second-round loss to UTEP as a No. 1 seed in the 1992 tournament, for good measure.

Re: Self's advantage with recruiting, don't forget that Roy's gotten more than his fair share at KU and North Carolina. It's not like he's ever lacked talent. But you rip Self for recruiting good players and not winning national championships when Roy -- one of the guys you praised above -- did the same thing for 15 years in Lawrence?

 

Fair enough. Roy doesn't belong in that top tier either.
But to me, Roy's teams have always looked like they had some sort of plan; Self's occasionally (not always, but every few games) have periods where they look lost on both ends of the floor. Too much one-on-one ball, too little organization. Then again, when KU has it going, they've got the best-looking team in America. Good coaching probably has something to do with it.
My original point was to say that Coach K isn't close to lacking in coaching. If he's going to fall behind anywhere, it'll be in recruiting.

 

i simply can't wait for baseball season, when oz looses the blue bird of cocksuckery avatar.

 

You and me both, tomas. You and me both.

 

Then you will both be sorely disappointed when I keep it on a permanent basis!

Re: Coach K, I don't think the game has passed him by, by any means. He simply needs an Elton Brand-Carlos Boozer-Shane Battier-type player inside to give Duke a presence in the paint. Seems like they have most everything they need outside.

 

that only would make you a looser.

 

The game has not passed him by but his recruiting philosophy may have. The idea of recruiting only players that you project to stay 3- 4 years may be what is hurting him the most. It's was good idea but now too many schools have latched onto the idea ( see Florida) so talent pool is thinner.

That said I hate idea but its the rules they live under.

Also seriously wonder if the Duke LAX story hurt Duke's recruiting efforts the past few years. There was certainly some good fodder for other's schools recruiters to drop on kids.